I had a chance to check out the camera from Toronto-based company at a recent Tech in Motion event.

Bublcam. (Supplied)

The Bublcam, which started as a Kickstarter project in 2013, is a ball-shaped camera that can take both still images and video. As Joanna Taccone, Bubl’s marketing communication manager explained, the camera actually shoots footage from four different lenses its four lenses software stitches the individual shots together.

“(The Bublcam is) capable of capturing 360 degrees of the spherical range, in the vertical range and the horizontal range out.”

In others words, the final image looks a ball. Or kind of more like if you were looking at a ball from the inside.

Here’s an example of the photo taken with the Bublcam in Times Square in New York City. (Supplied)

But despite the fancy, propriety software that stitches the views together, the photos and videos are saved as standard jpegs and mp4 files, respectively, onto a microSD card.

From there, you can transfer the picture or video onto your computer using a special desktop player, you can move around it to explore the content.

In addition to the desktop player, there is an embeddable web player, which can be used if you want to post the content to a website.

“For the moment we use our player to visualize the content, but we know that YouTube, for example, is enabling spherical view within their video player,” Taccone said. “Once that happens, the content will be compatible.”

Here’s an example of a construction site at San Francisco’s Union Square, taken from Bubl’s own gallery of images. Click and drag your mouse to move around the image.

Similarly, below is footage taken with the Bublcam attached to a quadcopter drone. You move around the image the same way. (There are more examples of video here.)

The camera can also be controlled via either an Android device or iPhone from up to 20 feet away via a mobile app.

Now, the concept is certainly interesting but frankly, the specs on the Bublcam aren’t exactly earth-shattering.

The lenses have only 5 MP sensors, which seems a little low, considering 8 MP is now considered a base for even midrange smartphones. And even though it has a f/2.0, some of the images and video I saw online tended to be either grainy in darker rooms or a little overexposed in daylight.

Though to be fair, the camera hasn’t gone into mass production yet and so there may be some improvement made to the camera and software before wide release. And some of the poor image quality may be partially user error as some of the pictures do look quite impressive.

Image taken with the Bublcam. (Supplied)

And while it seems the uses for the camera may be somewhat limited, one area where Taccone says the device will thrive is virtual reality.

“We see VR as a large aspect of our business,” she said. “And so we think of ourselves as end-to-end spherical technology enablers.”

Taccone said the company plans on releasing a VR headset as an accessory for the Bublcam but it would work with others.

“Virtual reality is not actually a matter of the headset, so much as a matter of the content,” she said. “So the headset just enables the visualization. The content is what gives you the immersion.”

She said this content wouldn’t be so much for gaming but interacting with real-world images.

“So think of the applications…in terms of education,” she said. “Imagine you’re trying to educate children on what’s inside of a rainforest and you captured real-life content… and you’ve put on this visualization device, you’re actually able…feel like you’re inside.”

Hopefully, I don’t eaten by a toucan…

You can preorder the Bublcam now for US$699 here but after it goes into full-scale production in the spring, the price will go up to $799. In addition to the camera, you get the software, a mini tripod, lens cleaning pen, a camera pouch, a USB cable and power adapter. (The camera battery, Taccone said, allows you to record for about 45 minutes on a single charge.)

If you are a big fan of House of Cards on Netflix, I’m sure you’re excited that Season 3 is now hot off the press. I wonder, how many of you have already put aside all those important things that you were supposed to in favour binge-watching the entire season of 13 episodes?

I admit that so far, I’ve only watched Season 3 Episode 1 – or Chapter 27 is it’s referred to. I made myself a promise not to repeat what I did last for Season 2 after I binged on Season 1. It started off nice and slow; I controlled the urge and watched the first three episodes over a period of a little over two weeks. Then I couldn’t help myself. I cranked out the popcorn maker and watched the rest of the season over a weekend.

It was great for continuity and I certainly enjoyed it but once I had my fill, it left me with a void for over an entire year. And having recently watched the must anticipated Season 3 opener, I quickly realized that over the 12 previous months, I had certainly forgotten some of the details. So it looks like I may have to go back and revisit some of Season 2.

Season 3 Opener

While I won’t give away any of the good stuff, what I will tell you is that in the season opener, we do learn the fate of one characters that was left hanging at the end of Season 2. Frank Underwood, played by Kevin Spacey is about half a year into his term as the President of the United States and although he’s managed to make his way into the top spot, he’s still as badass as ever. However it looks like things in the union are in a state of turmoil which Stephen Colbert (yes, it’s really him), makes this evident when Frank appears as a guest on his TV show. There are things that will go boom on the other side of the ocean and we also quickly learn that First Lady Claire’s ambitions have been stepped up a notch and will certainly be a continued source of friction between the loving First Couple of the United States.

If I mention heart monitor sensors to you you’d probably be thinking finger clip, wristband or maybe even watch. One thing for sure, you most likely wouldn’t be thinking earbuds. SMS Audio, founded by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson has teamed up with Intel to create the BioSport Biometric Earbuds, so if it’s important to you to monitor your heart rate, you can do it while out and about listing to your favourite tunes without having to worry or need to have an additional device or gadget attached you.

SMS Audio is not the first out of the gate to create the dual-purpose earbud/heart monitor. However, what is novel is that the biometric monitoring is designed to use so little power, it does not require a battery; it’s fully driven from the 3.5 mm gold-plated audio jack that plugs in to your smartphone.

You quickly notice that they are built fairly robust and port a very sports-like design. They’re not suitable for swimming, but they are IPX 4 rated and designed to resist water and sweat. To best describe them you could say that they’re a cross between oversized earbuds and in-ear monitors you’d see performers wearing on stage, except with an added cord. They have a rubber ear loop that actually fits in your ear (I think it’s called the auricle), to keep it upright and stable and it comes with three different sized ear-gels (S,M & L) for just the right fit. Now despite their size and perhaps being a little heavier than your typical buds they actually sit quite comfortably in your ear even for long periods of time. In fact, after a while you hardly even notice that they are there.

Robust Build

It has a sturdy and fully attached two-tone, in my case black and yellow, flat tangle resistant rubber coated cable, about five inches longer than on Apple Earpods, an in-line remote with a two-position slide control. Position it to the heart-shaped icon and you’re in heart-monitor mode; slide it to the other side and in you’re in microphone mode. You can simply change modes by sliding it in either direction. In mic mode you can use it to play music or as a phone control to answer and end calls, mute, switch or decline them. Specifics are in the documentation, but overall functionality will depend on the individual’s phone and OS. I was surprised that there is no on-board volume control. You need to use your device to control it. It also has an L-shaped connector headphone connector, which is great for saving space, but might be an issue as it was with mine with certain phone cases.

As for the sound, it’s pretty decent, although I wouldn’t say it’s as awesome as you might find on high-end earphones. They can be quite loud, which is great in noisy environments, but I found it a bit light in the bass department and may necessarily a perfect fit for the discerning audiophile.

No Dedicated App

To get your heart rate monitoring you need to use an app. The BioSport itself does not come with its own app and in time supposedly designed to work with a number of leading fitness apps, although at time of writing it does work with the RunKeeper apps for iPhone or Android, which the manufacturer actually suggests using and makes reference to in their documentation. I downloaded the free version of RunKeeper for iOS, quickly and easily set up a free account and after little hunting and pecking through the settings, I managed to get it connected by enabling the “analogue headphones” and figured out how to get my readout. And you know you’re connected when a little heart appears on the display. It would have been easier if I had actually looked at the enclosed card that came in the packaged that offered simple connection instructions plus a code for a free month of RunKeeper Elite. As an aside, with Android, it supposedly auto connects so no settings are required. It’s important to note that if you need to take a call, you need to move the switch on your remote and it does disable the monitoring, which may throw your statistics a little out of whack.

Hear Your Heart Rate

Regardless, it’s actually quite cool monitoring your heart rate, something I hadn’t thought of doing before. The app was set up to give you vocal cues at five minute intervals so in addition to offering up your progress it also reads out your heart rate so you didn’t need to look at the app’s display. As for accuracy, I didn’t do a scientific comparison or compare it to other monitors but checking my pulse manually, it seemed quite reasonable. The only thing I found a little frustrating – and this is the app not the heart rate monitor is that I would almost randomly get vocal cues that my workout has paused and then resumed even when I was still walking at a steady pace.

As for compatibility, will work on Apple iPhone 4S and up. It’s unknown whether it will work on all Android phones although the companies FAQ page does specify a number of Samsung Galaxy models, LG Nexus 5 and the Motorola Moto X as being supported.

Bottom Line

Overall, the BioSport earbuds are a clever product that provides a simple way to monitor your heart rate without the need for extra attachments or even battery power. It’s also a bonus for someone like myself who owns a Runtastic Orbit that doesn’t have a heart monitor, that we went hands-on with back in October. These earbuds well-built and comfortable to wear but they’d get better marks if it had a volume control but more importantly had wider smartphone support and played nice with other fitness apps like Runtastic and the like.

The SMS Audio BioSport Biometric Earbuds retail for $149.95 U.S. and come in three colours: blue, grey and yellow. They ship with a nice little protective padded neoprene carrying case, three different sized ear-gels, an SMS decal and code for a free month on RunKeeper Elite and are available directly from SMS Audio, Amazon.com and Dick’s Sporting Goods. No specific Canadian retail availability at time of writing.

Launched in 2005, the social networking site has mostly turned a blind eye to people posting links to photos and videos of naked people on its websites. But on March 10 a new privacy policy takes effect that will ban the posting of explicit content without the permission of the person featured in it.

“No matter who you are, if a photograph, video, or digital image of you in a state of nudity, sexual excitement, or engaged in any act of sexual conduct, is posted or linked to on reddit without your permission, it is prohibited on reddit. We also recognize that violent personalized images are a form of harassment that we do not tolerate and we will remove them when notified.”

Involuntary pornography is an odd term. It kind of sounds like someone tripped while posing for a photo and accidentally tore off her clothes as the camera flashed.

But presumably, the site is trying to offer a definition that is as broad as possible, so that it would cover revenge porn, stolen photos and any other forms of non-consensual sexual content.

The move is obviously coming as a result of last year’s celebrity nude scandal where naked photos were stolen from their iCloud accounts. Redditors posted a number of these images on the site. While specific subreddits hosting the photos were shut down after various complaints, much of the stolen content was still readily available elsewhere on the site.

Of course, celebrities are far from the only people who have had their nudes posted on reddit without their permission and so this new policy may offer some solace to them. However, the site might be difficult to police.

Reddit could very quickly get inundated with e-mails with requests to take down content and possibly ban the users who posted it. But the content could be posted again just as quickly under newly created accounts.

No? Well, then you’re probably not interested in the IndieGogo campaign for Rocket Ride, a new sex toy, from a company called Erotec, that aims to turn the male member into a vibrator (or perhaps manbrator).

Yeah, you heard that right. The Rocket Ride is a sex gadget that makes the phallus vibrate to increase the pleasure for both parties during intercourse.

Now to be clear, this has nothing to do with the Toronto Transit Commission’s slogan for its subway system (“Ride the Rocket”) – despite that company’s own foray into phallic images.

According to the campaign page, there are various ways for couples or individuals to use the device, but for men, the most common way is to place the device on either the top or underside of the erect penis and then slip a condom overtop.

Then turn it on during sex to experience “pleasure bionics” which the Sacramento, Calif.-based company calls “a new approach in the art of intimate pleasure products that combines technology and design in a way that is more in tune with human needs.”

Most likely to the relief of everyone involved, the Rocket Ride is not nearly as large or rigid as a cellphone. This sex toy is basically looks like a vibrator sliced down the middle. But made of “medical-grade” platinum silicone (like a 1980s-era breast implant?), the material is both flexible and sticky so that the device will stay in place during use – and I guess it would protect against a friction burn.

Rocket Ride campaign video screenshot. (YouTube screenshot)

The Rocket Ride measures 5.5 inches (13.97 cm) long by 1.2 inches (3.048 cm) wide by 0.25 inches (1.27 cm) thick, which according to the campaign page, will fit most users. (There are even charts to explain it.)

You can watch a campaign video for the Rocket Ride below, complete with space footage, cheesy 1970s pornoesque dance footage and demo animations.

Like many techy sex toys on the market today, the Rocket Ride has a separate controller with a battery pack to let you adjust the speed. But what’s really weird about it is that it is a wired connection, so it’s like one of those cheap RC cars we got as kids that you had to walk behind while playing with because they were cords connecting them to the controllers. In this case, you have to keep the remote in your free hand, or at least keep it stationary, so it doesn’t, say, fall off the bed and come unplugged at an inopportune moment.

Erotec plans to sell the Rocket Ride for US$100. But as a supporter of the campaign, you can preorder at a reduced price. As I write this, you reserve one for a donation of $45 and expect delivery in July.

That is, if it ever makes it to market. Erotec is running a fixed funding campaign, meaning it will only collect its pledges if it reaches its goal of $70,000 which seems somewhat unlikely at this point. It started the campaign on Feb. 13 and so far has only collected around 1% of this goal. But it runs until April 6 so you never know.

If you purchased a MacBook Pro system between February 2011 and December 2013 and you experienced distorted, scrambled or loss of video or unexpected random restarts then your computer maybe eligible to be repaired free of charge regardless as to whether or not it’s under warranty, under Apple’s new MacBook Pro Repair Extension Program for video issues.

The models that may be affected would be the 15-inch MacBook Pro or 17-inch MacBook Pro (Early 2011 or Late 2011 models). The other two models that may be affected are the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display — (Mid-2012 or Early 2013) models.

There’s an Apple support document that lists all the symptoms, the models affected and what to do to get your unit serviced. Also on the same page is a link to a “Check Your Coverage” tool that can also tell you what kind of coverage that you may or may not have or be eligible for.

There’s good news. If you have one of these models and already paid to have the repair done, you should be eligible for a reimbursement. Of course if your MacBook Pro has any obvious damage like a broken screen, you may be required to have that repaired before you get a free repair to solve your video problem.

The program starts immediately in Canada and the U.S. and will be extended to other countries beginning February 27, 2015. In the event it takes you a while to get around to taking it in for the repair, you have up until the later of February 27th 2016 or three years from your original purchase date to do so.

]]>http://blogs.canoe.ca/canoetech/gadgets/apple-initiates-macbook-pro-video-repair-program/feed/0Adobe Photoshop turns 25http://blogs.canoe.ca/canoetech/in-the-news/adobe-photoshop-turns-25/
http://blogs.canoe.ca/canoetech/in-the-news/adobe-photoshop-turns-25/#commentsThu, 19 Feb 2015 15:56:47 +0000http://blogs.canoe.ca/canoetech/?p=223041Although created by brothers John and Thomas Knoll in 1988, the original version of Photoshop was initially released for Mac as Adobe Photoshop 1.0 on Feb. 19, 1990.

So to celebrate the 25th birthday of the raster graphics editor, Adobe reached out to artists to contribute “their most amazing dreams,” which is to say Photoshop documents of some of their work – including the working files and layers.

Adobe then took these files, and animated them layer-by-layer to create a video it uploaded to YouTube. The video also features Aerosmith’s Dream On as the soundtrack.

In addition to the video, Adobe has released a timeline of major moments in the software’s history and at 5 p.m. ET, Thomas Knoll is hosting a reddit AMA. (Adobe has its own Q&A with the software’s co-creator here.)

To satisfy the Selfie generation, last year iStabilizer released their smartMount smartphone tripod adapter. It was available either as a standalone item or as part of their monopod or flexible smartphone tripod products. While the design seemed quite clever at the time, in practice, depending on your phone it would often, quite frankly, miss the mark. Plus, it wasn’t wide enough to accommodate the iPhone 6. So iStabilizer went back to the drawing board, redesigned it and this time they hit the target.

The original adapter (below) looked pretty cool. It was spring-loaded to allow for any phone up to 2.75 inches in width and a separate model; the XL would accommodate the iPhone 6 and other phones up to 3.5 inches in width. The top portion had a metal wire frame with a rubber insert that could easily fall out and get lost. The bottom grip had a rest adorned with rubberized foam to keep the phone in place.

The problem was two-fold. First the rubber gasket had a single point of contact with your phone or your phone’s case; plus, because it was spring-loaded, if it wasn’t sitting exactly flush or if the device or case had an overly smooth surface, it could easily slip out of the adapter – which happened to me with an iPod touch. Furthermore after continuous use – inserting and removing your gadget, the foam would become compressed and lose its ability to properly grip the device increasing the probability your gadget could flip out.

New and improved

The newer model, we’ll call version 2, is better by leaps and bounds. First of all, the spring loading mechanism seems much sturdier than the original. The grips on both the top and bottom are of equal size making it easier to properly insert and evenly align your smartphone. It’s also designed to be able to stretch wide enough to accommodate the iPhone 6 without the need to purchase an additional adapter.

Furthermore, they’ve added solid ridged rubber on both ends of the grip making for significantly better contact with both sides of your device. The new model has two screw-mount points allowing you to mount it to your tripod from the bottom or from the back giving you much more flexibility in being able to position your device exactly the way you want it. The new revision gets full marks.

As an aside, the mount may or may not work when your phone is in the case; it really depends on how much bulk – the case adds to the overall ”width”.

iStabilizer smartMount “Smartphone Tripod Adapter” retails for $19.95 and is available directly from iStabilizer. It can also be found on Amazon and a few other outlets. When ordering, make sure you are getting the latest version. (On Amazon, the latest model is ISTPP03 and the old model id ISTPP01.)

We’ve seen rugged waterproof cases, laptops and speakers but I can’t recall ever coming across a rugged and waterproof portable backup battery, until now. Scosche is unveiling the goBAT 6000 and the goBAT 12000, a pair of ultra durable and high capacity battery solutions designed to be taken out on the rough road.

The new models feature rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that are 6,000mAh and 12,000mAh respectively, enough to recharge a typical iPhone four or eights times. The smaller capacity battery has a single 2.4A USB charging port designed to quickly charge devices including energy hungry tablets like the iPad. The larger capacity battery has double the charge and a pair of charging ports that can quickly charge two devices at the same time.

Smart Circuitry

What’s really novel is that under the hood is specially designed smart circuitry. The “Perfect Charge” USB ports will allow for the fastest charge possible by detecting the optional charge rate for each device. There’s also zero self-discharge circuitry built in, so in theory it can maintain a charge for years without fully draining. This would be an awesome feature as I’ve previously owed battery packs, that if not used for a while not only lose their charge, but also their ability to hold a charge.

The batteries are encased in a specially designed IP67 rated water and dirt proof polycarbonate housing that exceed even military shock and drop standards so they should stand up in the most rough and tough situations. They come factory pre-charged, have an on-board multicoloured LED status indicator and an aluminum clip ring so you can attach your goBAT to your backpack.

These new backup batteries models are ideal for those who are out and about under all different types of unfavourable conditions and for geeks like me who carry around lots of gadgets.

Both models are expected to be shipping sometime in the first quarter of 2015 with suggested retail prices of $44.99 US and $79.99 US and available through Scosche.com.

There’s more than chocolate to sweeten up your sweetheart on Valentine’s Day. How about saying “I LOVE YOU” with funky cool red gadgets and accessories that will (hopefully) last longer than simply a dozen long stemmed red roses.

The Smile Jamaica in-ear headphones with mic by House of Marley (yes, the family of that Marley) is a Valentine inspired gadget with small and simple wood rear housing, recycled machined aluminum chassis, 52″ multicoloured fabric braided cable with plastic restrain and fire red eartips. They have noise-isolating properties and despite their size, give out a good vibrating bass.

Buying a Marley product you are also helping a cause as the Marley Family supports 1Love, their charitable organization dedicated in supporting youth, peace and the planet by using with earth friendly and recycled materials. I think she’d like that. Smile Jamaica headphones retail for $24.99 and are available directly from HouseOfMarley.ca, Future Shop, Visions & Shoppers Drug Mart.

If she’s into sound but doesn’t need headphones, the shiny red FoxL Dash 7 Soundbar by Soundmatters we reviewed here at CanoeTech back in October just might do the trick.

It’s tiny, sleek and powerful. Designed by a NASA scientist, it’s one of the worlds thinnest and lightest premium sounding Bluetooth speakers at only 3/4″ thin and weighing a mere 7.1 oz. It features space saving and advanced technology Twofers that act both as a woofer and a tweeter and their patented BassBattery, which not only delivers up to 12 hours of playback but also helps add a deeper sound to the powered Twoofers by ingeniously doubling as a passive bass woofer. It comes with a case that doubles as a stand. It’s on promotion now for $169.99 (reg: $209.99) and available in Canada from Audio Basics.

I guarantee that Seatylock is one thing that she doesn’t have. It’s a beautiful red bicycle saddle that easily transforms itself into a hardened steel bicycle lock to keep her bike safe with the added convenience of not having to always cart around a separate lock. The steel is also plastic coated so as not to scratch her beloved cycle.

Seatylock comes two styles; Seatylock Trekking with a slimmer profile for the sporty type lady and Seatylock Comfort with a thicker base for the more casual cyclist. The latter model is white with red trim. Both styles are fitted with a universal adapter designed to fit any bike. If red is not her thing, there are other colours and colour combinations. It retails for $129 U.S. but is available on for 30% off on preorder directly from Seatylock for only $90. You may need to give her a few long stems and an IOU with her Valentine’s card but come spring she’ll be very happy and secure.

Another gadget, which isn’t exactly red, it’s more pink is the ultra rugged Pelican ProGear Voyager case for iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini (all models) when she needs more than a slip cover or purse to protect her iPad. Designed to military specs to protect against multiple drops, it has a rubber interior and dual layer lining for protection and shock absorption; angled edges to deflect drop stress and a built-in kickstand for better viewing. If you want his and her Voyagers, they also come in black with grey trim. They retail in Canada for $93.11 and available on-line from Pelican Canada as well as from Amazon.com.

For even a wider range of choices, merchandise from Apple designated as (PRODUCT) RED all come in red. This includes the iPod shuffle; iPod nano and iPod touch models as well as Smart Cover and Smart Case for iPhone and iPad models. Not only can you bestow upon her a beautiful red gadget or accessory, you’ll also be helping a great cause. With every product (RED) that Apple sells, Apple donates a percentage of gross profits directly to The Global Fund who work on behalf of (RED) to create programs to help fight AIDS in Africa. To see the selection, visit Apple Canada’s designated (RED)page.